Role and Responsibilities of a Digital Imaging Technician
– Collaborates with the cinematographer on workflow, systemization, camera settings, signal integrity, and image manipulation
– Ensures highest image quality and creative goals of cinematography in the digital realm
– Supports the camera team with technical and creative tasks
– Manages data on set, including backups and quality checks
– Hands recordings to the post-production team after generating working copies
– Assists cinematographers in achieving desired look digitally
– Monitors picture exposure and sets up Color Decision List (CDL)
– Creates Look Up Tables (LUTs) for post-production if requested
– Handles settings in the digital camera’s menu system
– Secures digital audio recorded by the Production Sound Mixer
Importance of Data Management
– Backs up original camera data and metadata at least twice daily
– Ensures data integrity with checksum verification
– Backs up data on hardy LTO tape for long-term storage
– Creates a transfer data carrier for post-production along with content reports
– Ensures data accessibility and reviewability, displaying metadata of each clip
Related Positions
– Digital Loader supports the camera department by managing, transferring, and securing digital data acquired on set
– Interacts with the 2nd AC and may work under a Digital Imaging Technician
– Data Wrangler is another term for a Digital Loader
– 2nd AC may take on digital loading as an additional duty
– Traditional film loaders are employed on film productions where DIT skills aren’t applicable
Evolution of Digital Imaging Roles
– Prior to DIT position, video controllers, video shaders, and video engineers performed similar functions in live video feed
– DIT position has become commonplace in cinema, commercials, and digital television
– Video positions still exist in live broadcast and studio television
– DIT focuses on on-set image work, while video positions have broader roles
– DIT’s role has replaced traditional film loaders in many productions
Notable Points
– DIT’s role is to ensure the highest image quality and support the creative goals of cinematography in the digital realm
– Data management is crucial, including backing up data, ensuring data integrity, and creating transfer data carriers for post-production
– On-set responsibilities include assisting cinematographers, monitoring picture exposure, and handling camera settings
– Related positions include Digital Loader, Data Wrangler, and traditional film loaders
– The DIT position has evolved from similar roles in live video feed and has become commonplace in cinema, commercials, and digital television. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_imaging_technician
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A digital imaging technician (DIT) was created for the motion picture industry in response to the transition from the long established film movie camera medium into the current digital cinema era. The DIT is the camera department crew member who works in collaboration with the cinematographer on workflow, systemization, camera settings, signal integrity and image manipulation to achieve the highest image quality and creative goals of cinematography in the digital realm.
With the progression of the digitization ever more tasks concerning data management emerged: the position of the Digital Imaging Technician was introduced. The DIT is the connector between on-set time and post production. DITs support the camera team with technical and creative tasks with the digital camera. Their purpose is to ensure the best technical quality possible, as well as production safety. DITs are responsible for tasks during preparation, on-set time and post production. They are also responsible for managing data on set, such as making backups and quality checks of the material. In post production, the DIT hands the recordings to the post production team, possibly after checking the quality of the material and generating working copies.
Data backups and quality control are of great significance for the DIT who has to make sure that the original camera data and metadata is backed up at least twice daily, ensuring data integrity with checksum verification. Furthermore, the data may be backed up on LTO tape which is hardier than electronic devices and is used for long-term storage. Another copy must be made on a transfer data carrier that will be sent to post production along with the reports of the content. Again, the data has to be backed up. The data has to be accessible at all times and should be saved in a system where it can be reviewed, displaying the metadata of each clip.
The DIT's role on-set has become especially prevalent through assisting cinematographers, normally accustomed to film stock, in achieving their desired look digitally. This is accomplished by the DIT through monitoring picture exposure, setting up Color Decision List (CDL) on daily basis and, if requested, "look up tables" (LUTs) for the post-production. Additionally, the DIT handles any settings in the digital camera's menu system, such as recording format and outputs. As a courtesy, the DIT also secures the digital audio recorded by the external digital audio recorder operated by the Production Sound Mixer.